Gun-carriage.



J. LUND.

sun CARRIAGE. APPLICATION FILEU APR. 15, i916- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

J. LUND.

GUN CARRIAGE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1916.

Patented Apr-,1, 1919. 2 SHEETS SHEET Z- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LUND, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

GUN-CARRIAGE.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filed. April 15, 1916. Serial No. 91,376.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN LUND, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bethlehem, Northampton county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheeled gun carriages and more particularly to the type of such carriages provided with two separated or separable trail members for giving the carriage stability when the gun is in action. The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a gun carriage embodying the invention, the gun and top carriage being removed;

FFig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the gug carriage, illustrating a modification; an

Fig. 5 is a front view of the same.

My invention relates to that type of gun carriage in which two trail members are used, such members being independent of each other excepting that they are both mounted on the axle and have their forward ends connected by an equalizing device. The particular object of the present invention is to simplify and strengthen the construction of such carriages and to improve their operation.

Referring to. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the draw ings, 10. indicates the axle mounted on the wheels 11 in the usual manner. Extending transversely of the axle are two trail members 12, 13 which are shown as jointed at 1 1-1 1. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the forward ends of the trail members extend in front of the axle and are provided with toothed segments 15, 15 which engage opposite sides of the pinion 16. One of the trail members, as 12, is rigidly secured to the axle 10, as by means of the transverse pin 17, for a purpose to be presently explained, while the other trail member is free to turn on the axle.

A base 18, adapted to receive the top carriage of the gun, is pivotally mounted on the axle 10 between the'trail members and extends forwardly, and the pinion or gear 16 is pivotally mounted on the forward end of the base. a

The construction described permits the rear ends of the trail members, while widely separated, to adapt themselves to the inequalities of the ground while at the same time they hold the base or platform 18 immovable and well supported through the medium of the pinion 16. Further, in structures of this kind, the trail members have been free with respect to the axle, and strains due to applying brakes to the wheels have been transmitted to the trail members through the equalizing gearing or other equalizing devices. By securing one of the trail members rigidly to the axle the strains due to applying the brakes, which are trans mitted to the axle primarily, will be directly transmitted from the axle to one of the trail members and the equalizing means will be relieved entirely from this strain.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modifi cation in which a beam 20 is substituted for the equalizing pinion. This beam is mounted on the pivot 21 which is centrally arranged in a yoke or base 22 which is pivotally mounted on the axle 23. Two rearwardly diverging rigid trail members 24, 25 are mounted on the axle, the member 21 being rigidly secured to the axle by a pin 26 while the member 25 is free to turn on the axle. The forward ends of the trail members are connected to the equalizing beam 20 by suitable connections so that they are interdependent in their movements. The particular connection shown in Fig. 5 consists of a pin 27 sliding in a cylindrical opening in the end of the beam 20, the pin being provided at its outer end with a ball fitting a spherical socket in the forward end of the trail member. A like connection is made at the opposite end of the beam.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a wheeled gun carriage, the combination with the axle of two trail members, one of said members being rigid with the axlsl and the other movably connected therew1t 2. In a wheeled gun carriage, the combination with the. axle of'two trail members, one of said members being pivotally connected with the axle and means for preventing pivotal movement of the other trail member on the axle.

3. a, wheeled gnn carrizigeythe combinatign with the axle of two trail members extending transversely f the axle and equal-* lzlng-means conneeting-said trail members forwardly of the axle, one of said members being rigidly secured to the axle andf'thei other being free to turn thereon.

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